Located within the complex of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, the Metropolitan Museum of Manila is the premier museum of modern and contemporary visual arts in the Philippines. Situated along Roxas Boulevard in Malate, Manila, the Met (as it’s more commonly called) houses a collection of pre-colonial, modern and contemporary Philippine art.
The Met is responsible for the conservation of some of the national treasures of the country. Local and foreign tourists wishing to catch a glimpse of the country’s art and culture should include this destination in their itinerary. To help plan your visit, check out the short guide to the Met featured below:
Admission & Rates
The entrance fee to the museum is PHP 100. If you want a guided tour, that would cost PHP 500. Another kind of tour is available which is the group tour which costs PHP 90 but that has to be scheduled in advance. Please note that these are the prices as of this writing and may change in the future.
The Met is open from 10:00 am to 5:30 pm from Monday to Saturday. It is closed to the public on Sundays and holidays. Also, keep in mind that some exhibits close earlier than usual.
Exhibitions
Just like any other museum, the Met has a series of permanent exhibitions as well as traveling exhibitions. For the latter, it is best to visit the official website of the Met as well as their social media pages for more up to date information.
Basement Gallery
- Classical Philippine Goldwork of the 8th to the 13th Century – here you will find items such as gold adornments, ritual pieces and barter rings. These collections are evidence of a flourishing pre-colonial society in the Philippines that was actively engaged in local and international trade.
- Classical Philippine Potter of the 8th to the 13th Century – features a display of pottery used by Filipinos in pre-colonial times as household implements, ritual articles and burial vessels.
Basement Hallway
- Aura: Religious Art in the BSP Collection – the BSP stands for the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas which donated some art and historical artifacts to the museum. This particular exhibit focuses on the religious images created by Filipino artists that capture spiritual aura which is represented by a halo of gold.
Galeriya Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas
- Hidalgo: The Colonial Subject as Master – displays the works of Felix Resurreccion Hidalgo, one of the great Filipino painters of the late 19th He is significant in Philippine history for being an inspiration for members of the Philippine reform movement which included Jose Rizal, Marcelo H del Pilar, Mariano Lopez and Graciano Lopez Jaena.
Basement
- Three Buddha Mothers – this exhibit features figurative sculptures created by Agnes Arellano which convery the spiritual in everyday life.
Philippine Contemporary: To Scale the Past and the Possible
This is a landmark permanent exhibition that highlights the Met’s direction to “integrate a heightened focus on modern and contemporary art by Philippine and foreign artists.” The exhibition is curated by Dr Patrick Flores, a well-known art critic and scholar, and covers a wide range of forms such as painting, installations, visual culture and popular media (comics, photography, film and video).
Getting to the Met
Via LRT
- Get off at either Quirino or Vito Cruz Stations as these are the nearest ones to the museum.
Via Bus or Jeepney
- At Taft Avenue, get off at Pablo Ocampo Street.
- Take the CCP Orange Shuttle and get off at the corner of Pablo Ocampo Street and Roxas Boulevard.
- Walk to the right along the service road until you get to the museum.
Note
Parking is available in front of the museum for those taking private vehicles.